Meditations on being truthful

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

I have been meditating on what it means to be truthful and following are my

observations.

 

What we hold as truth, refers to the ideas that we have learned and refined

through the years with our experiences. It is very natural then, that one

person's truth is very different from another's. The common factor though, is

that the emotions that are associated with each person's truth are very similar.

For example, when we fall short of what we uphold as the truth, we feel guilty

or a sense or unease.It is also very possible that a person's idea of truth

could include "white lies" or other loopholes. A person fighting for his

country's freedom,for example, may not hesitate to lie in situations that may

help save his fellowmen.

 

So what is the truthful life that the wise speak of ?

 

The heart of the definition is this - when a person is very clear or very sure

about something, he will not waver from his objective. When he believes in

something, he will automatically do it , come what may. It is only when he has

doubts about his belief that he wavers and when he doesnt act according to his

belief that he feels the guilt or unease. This happens to all of us, but in the

case of a wise man, instead of feeling guilty, he stops to examine the very

beliefs that he is holding onto.He is like a true scientist who questions his

own theories when he feels that something is amiss. Intentions, however good or

self-sacrificing are just the hypotheses for his experiments. Unless he

understands or he awakens to the truth of the experiments within him , he is not

satisfied. When he succeeds , his intentions give rise to a spontaneous or

sahaja way of action. This strength to look dispassionately at his beliefs makes

him evolve and completely open. This courage gives him the capacity to see life

through others' eyes.

 

This courage , of relentlessly re-examining the very ideas we believe in when we

feel that something is amiss, is what the wise men call "living in the moment"

or "living in truth".

 

Jai Sri Ramakrishna !